Downtown Dog Park

08/27/2025

🐶✨ 5 Fun Facts About Dogs You Might Not Know! 🐾💡

1️⃣ No two dog noses are alike!
Just like human fingerprints, every dog has a unique nose print. 👃🐕

2️⃣ They sweat through their paws.
Dogs don’t sweat like we do — their only sweat glands are in the pads of their feet! 🐾💦

3️⃣ Super sniffers!
A dog’s sense of smell is up to 100,000 times more powerful than ours. They can even detect diseases! 👃🔬

4️⃣ They speak with their tails.
Tail wagging isn’t just excitement — dogs use their tails to show fear, curiosity, confidence, and more! 🐕➡️🌀

5️⃣ They’re full of surprises!
Dogs are endlessly fascinating, loyal, and smart — no wonder we call them best friends! ❤️🐾

Drop a 🐶 in the comments if you learned something new!

08/26/2025

Happy National Dog Day! 🐾❤️

Today, August 26, 2025, we’re celebrating the joy, loyalty, and love that our canine companions bring into our lives! National Dog Day was founded in 2004 by animal advocate Colleen Paige. She chose this date because it marks the day her family adopted her beloved Sheltie when she was just 10 years old. The day serves a dual purpose: to honor all dogs—purebreds and mutts alike—and to raise awareness about dogs still waiting for loving homes 🐶Here’s why today matters:

It’s a day to recognize the vital roles dogs play in our lives—whether as service animals, therapy companions, rescue heroes, or everyday best friends—while encouraging adoption and attributing value to all breeds, big and small.

Over 3 million dogs enter U.S. shelters each year, and initiatives like this help remind us of the importance of adoption, fostering, and supporting dog welfare.

The National Dog Day Foundation proudly works toward “Saving 10,000 Dogs – One Day at a Time,” and since its founding has helped save more than 100,000 dogs worldwide.

Dogs' super-sniffing noses (packed with ~300 million olfactory receptors) make them exceptional partners in search & rescue, medical detection, and more.

Caring for a dog boosts our well-being—lowering stress, encouraging movement, and fostering social bonds and emotional support.

🥳🎉How can you celebrate today?

🍪Spoil your pup with extra playtime, walks, treats, or maybe even a homemade peanut-banana‑oat snack (mix 1 cup peanut butter, ½ cup mashed banana, and ½ cup oats, roll and freeze!).

💝Support a rescue — adopt, foster, or donate to your local shelter.

🙋🏽‍♂️Volunteer your time if adoption isn’t an option—shelters always need help!

📸Share the love online — post a photo or story with in the comments and inspire others to appreciate, adopt, or help dogs in need.

👉 Take a moment today to honor your dog’s unconditional love—or celebrate any dog you know with gratitude and kindness.

💻Check out NationalDogDay.com!

08/25/2025

08/20/2025

Life is better with a dog!😎🐶

08/13/2025

📸Poplar Bluff Parks & Recreation is now accepting photo submissions for our 2026 Recreation Activities Guide — and we want to see your best shots from our Parks, Trails, Activities, Golf Course, Dog Park, and Pool!📸

Whether it's a playful pup mid-leap, a peaceful moment in the park, or you or your child in action your photo could be featured in our upcoming guide!

🟢 How to Submit:
Visit 👉 pbparks.recdesk.com
🚨Sign in or create an account
👉Go to "Programs" > "Community - Pictures"
📸Click "Register Now", fill out the form & upload your photo(s)

💡 Submission is FREE, but you MUST complete the checkout process to finalize registration.

🗓️ Deadline: October 1, 2025‼️
🔍 Photos will be selected based on various factors. While we can’t guarantee your photo will be used, we appreciate every entry!❣️

Let’s showcase the fun and joy that our parks and trails bring to the community! 💚

08/13/2025

"Dog hair is my glitter, and slobbery kisses are my love language." 🐾💋✨

08/12/2025

🐶🎉 AUGUST DOG OF THE MONTH 🎉🐶
Meet Balooo (Blue) — our paws-itively adorable 6-month-old Shar-Pei/Rottweiler mix!

This playful pup LOVES:
🎾 Playing fetch
💤 Belly rubs
🖐️ Giving high-fives
🏅 Showing off his long jump skills

When it comes to snacks, his faves are Blu treats and a good ol’ beef bone! 🦴

Let’s hear it for Blue! Drop a 🐾 in the comments to show him some love!

08/10/2025

🐾🎉 August 10 is Spoil Your Dog Day! 🎉🐾

As if we needed an excuse, right? 😄 Today is all about showering your furry best friend with love, treats, belly rubs, and maybe even a new toy (or three)! 🦴🐶

Whether it's an extra-long walk, their favorite snacks, or just some quality cuddle time, let your pup know how much they mean to you. ❤️

📸 Share a photo of your spoiled pup below and show us how you're celebrating!

Because let's face it—every day should be Spoil Your Dog Day. 🐕💕

08/06/2025

🦴🐾 MYTH or FACT?
"Raw meat is the best diet for dogs." ❌

👉 MYTH!

While raw diets can be part of a healthy plan, feeding just raw meat is not balanced and comes with real risks:

⚠️ Bacteria like Salmonella & E. coli
⚠️ Missing essential nutrients (like calcium & vitamins)
⚠️ Not safe for puppies, seniors, or sick dogs

✅ Dogs need a complete, balanced diet — whether raw, cooked, or commercial — and that means working with a vet or pet nutritionist.

💡 Raw feeding isn’t wrong, but it’s not automatically “best.” In fact, done poorly, it can do more harm than good.

📌 Always consult your veterinarian to discuss what’s safest and healthiest for YOUR dog. 🐶❤️

07/31/2025

🎉🐾 Happy National Mutt Day! 🐶💙
Today we’re celebrating the one-of-a-kind pups with a little bit of everything — and a whole lot of love!

Mixed-breed dogs (aka mutts) may not have fancy pedigrees, but they have:
✔️ Endless personality
✔️ Unique looks
✔️ Loyal hearts
✔️ Often fewer inherited health issues
✔️ Tons of love to give!

🐕💬 Whether your mutt came from a shelter, a surprise litter, or found you some other way — today’s the day to show them off!

📸 Drop a pic of your favorite mutt in the comments and tell us what makes them special!

✨ Thinking of adopting? Mutts are often overlooked — but they’re 100% amazing. Visit your local shelter and meet your next best friend!

07/30/2025

🐶💖 5 Surprising Ways Petting Your Dog Boosts Your Health! 🐾✨

Did you know that spending just a few minutes petting your pup each day can actually improve your well-being? Here’s how:

🧘‍♀️ Reduces Stress – Petting your dog lowers cortisol (stress hormone) and boosts serotonin and dopamine, helping you feel calm and relaxed.

❤️ Lowers Blood Pressure – That soothing connection can lead to a healthier heart and lower blood pressure over time.

💤 Improves Sleep – Cuddling and petting your dog before bed can ease anxiety and help you sleep more peacefully.

😊 Boosts Mood – Your dog’s love and presence naturally increase your happiness and decrease feelings of loneliness.

🧠 Supports Mental Health – Petting dogs has been shown to ease symptoms of depression and anxiety by releasing feel-good hormones.

🐕💞 Your pup isn’t just your best friend — they’re also your personal therapist with a wagging tail!

Tag a fellow dog lover who needs a reminder of how healing puppy love can be. 🐾💡